Off the Grid Travel Photo Essay: Nyaung Shwe, Myanmar

Yawnghwe is a very small town in Myanmar (Burma). Initially, when we viewed the distance to our guesthouse from the bus station, we anticipated a 2 kilometer walk --after a 12 hour bus ride from Bagan-- which we weren't looking forward to. So once we negotiated a price, shoved our bags under the benches, and climbed on-board the tuk-tuk, we were quite shocked to find just how little of a town it really was - the trip totaled a whopping minute and 30 seconds. Thankfully we learned quickly and used our legs or bikes to move around following this introduction. None the less, Nyaung Shwe as it's also called, provides a lot of stimulation; plenty to see (from an environmental and humanitarian point of view), lots of fresh vegetables and legumes to eat, and gives many more reasons to ponder and stick around the "suburbs" of Inle Lake.

Architecture, Signage and Miscellaneous.

A dentist's office in Nyaung Shwe. The irony being that many Burmese residents are either without teeth, or scared with a redish-brown set of choppers, brought on by their addiction to the betel nut.

Scenes of the city. Nyaung Shwe, Myanmar.

Monks uniforms hang to dry. Yawnghwe, Inle Lake, Myanmar.

Long boats are docked on the river canal of Nyaung Shwe. Boats are most commonly used for tourists, however also transport residents, merchandise and local passengers coming or going from the floating or permanent markets.

Pagodas.

A mirrored stupa in Nyaung Shwe, Burma.

Stupas at dusk, Yawnghwe, Myanmar.

Market and Produce.

Bustling from early morning to midday. Market life in Nyaung Shwe, Myanmar.

Dried and fresh bulk produce. Garlic, onions, beans, spices.

Plethora of bananas, and some coconuts too. Burma.

Thinly sliced pieces of sandalwood, added to the fires of Burmese homes or pop-up kitchens.